Is There Any Way To Remain Caffeinated without the Stains of Coffee or Tea?

Posted on 11/20/2017 by Boeckel

If you are one of those people who just cannot get out of bed in the morning without a hot cup of tea or coffee to wake you up, you are not alone! But are you awake to the risk of tooth stains?

Tooth stains from caffeinated drinks are caused by a variety of factors, including chemicals called polyphenols and tannins. But never mind the science: what you want to know is how to keep your beverage from tarnishing your smile! Read on for our top tips.

Use a Straw

The best way to keep coffee and tea stains away is to keep the beverages themselves from contact with your teeth. Drinking through a straw is one way to do this. The coffee or tea will still come into contact with your molars, but not your front teeth. Consuming hot drinks with a straw does come with a risk of burning yourself (and also looks a little odd!) so maybe keep this one for iced drinks.

Change Up Your BeveragesNo, this does not mean switching to energy drinks or cola for your caffeine drinks: many of these drinks have staining properties too, not to mention containing a ton of sugar!

There is some debate about whether adding milk to your beverage reduces the staining effect. Milk does not reduce the tannin content, but the animal fat in dairy milk may bind together the polyphenols in coffee so that they do not stain your teeth.

Drink Water

Drink a glass of water between each cup of coffee or tea, or even between every few sips: this will rinse the staining chemicals (plus any sugar) away from your mouth, make your delicious beverage last longer, and help you stay hydrated.

Maintain Good Oral Hygiene

Just like spilling on your rug, the quicker you clean up, the less it will stain! Brush your teeth after your coffee break to minimize stains and freshen your breath.

Have Your Teeth Professionally Whitened

No matter how much work you put into avoiding and minimizing tooth stains, eventually life will take a toll on the look of your teeth: invest in your smile by paying us a visit for a safe, effective professional whitening every few months.

Follow these tips to keep smiling through your guilt-free coffee breaks - and give us a call to find out more about our whitening treatments.

If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment, please call us at (503) 985-8945 today.